MLK Day of service, history
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. Adobe Stock image
The nation will honor civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 20. In the Highland Lakes, most schools will be closed for the federal holiday along with banks and government offices.
The Burnet school district will be open Monday, recognizing the holiday as a “day on, not a day off.” Students will learn about King’s legacy and participate in service projects in his honor.
MLK Jr. Day history
MLK Jr. Day honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement. The holiday was officially signed into law on Nov. 2, 1983, by President Ronald Reagan following 15 years of advocacy led by civil rights activists. It became the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, encouraging Americans to volunteer in their communities.
The holiday is always celebrated on the third Monday in January, near King’s birthday of Jan.15.
READ OR LISTEN TO KING’S “I HAVE A DREAM” SPEECH HERE
King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, ignited calls for a day in his honor, but it faced significant opposition. Public support grew through efforts like Stevie Wonder’s song “Happy Birthday” and rallies led by his widow, Coretta Scott King, who fought alongside her husband during the civil rights movement and continued to do so after his murder.
Legislation recognizing King’s birthday as a federal holiday was introduced after his death in 1968, but the matter was not brought before Congress until 1979. That first vote failed 252-122, needing a two-thirds majority to pass.
In the years following, support continued to build, and by the time the proposed holiday came before Congress again in 1983, it arrived with a petition of 6 million signatures in its favor.
The bill passed 338-90 despite opposition from a vocal minority, including North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms, who submitted documents alleging King had ties to the “communist party” and that another federal holiday would be too costly to taxpayers.
Despite federal recognition, it would take 17 more years for every state to acknowledge the holiday. Texas recognized MLK Jr. Day in 1991. South Carolina was the last state to do so in 2000.
Many states and organizations commemorate the day with volunteer efforts, emphasizing its motto: “A day on, not a day off.”